Have a Heart With This Local Calendar – UPDATED X 3

There is no end to good causes that the Local Beet loves, and our area Calendar is filled with benefits for Slow Food Chicago, Land Connection, Growing Home, Seventh Generation Ahead, and a few weeks hence, the Localicious party with FamilyFarmed. Can you also find space in your Calendar for West Suburban PADs annual dinner, Have-a-Heart. What say does West Suburban PADs have to do with local food? Well, the Local Family have for a long time, been involved with addressing the insidious problem of homelessness. Way back in his college days, Local Dad spent overnights playing spades at a Washington DC shelter. These days, his volunteerism pales next to the Local Mom. If Dad pitches in occasionally as a “site captain”, Mom is there every month. More, Mom sits on the Board of PADs and for several years chaired their Shelter Committee. Still, we want some local food connection for you, and we have it. About our two favorite restaurants in the world, Mado and Vie stepped up with generous donations for the silent auction at the benefit. Come see if you can out bid me for these certificates. And you know my other favorite restaurant, Freddy’s in Cicero, they stepped up with not one, not two, not three but five certificates for $25′s worth of pizza. You know we can share those bids. If you have the opportunity, please come on February 27, 2010 to show your support for West Suburban PADs at the Hyatt Lodge on the McDonald’s Campus is Oak Brook.

UPDATE: Need even one more reason to attend this Saturday’s benefit for West Suburban PADS? Our friends at Carnivale have also donated a gift certificate for you to bid on during the silent auction.

UPDATE II: Several winter markets this weekend, so you have no excuses for not eating local. As in the past, we warn that you need a reservation to attend the Green City Market’s Chef demo’s. You especially want to reserve this weekend because the Local Beet’s Sustainable Cook, Melissa Graham is one of the presenters. On the other hand, you do not need to reserve to participate in the letter writing activities organized by Green City and Slow Food Chicago for better school lunches.

UPDATE III: The butchering classes at Mado have been filling up quicker than orders for their cassoulet. They’ve just announced dates for March. Sign up now!

We see some local apples still, but mostly of the (less than) Delicious variety–did you know that there is no relationship between Red Delicious and Yellow Delicious apples. The brand new, very supermarket-y Caputo’s at Grand and Harlem has Michigan apples still. We also see local potatoes there and at other places.

Think there’s no other local foods? A good way to gauge what can be out there is to look at Irv and Shelly’s Freshpicks site. Local items include beets, celery root, micro-greens/sprouts, mushrooms, rutabagas, lettuces, and cabbage.

From indoor growers like Windy City Harvest, you might also find rocket, collards and chard. We bet you might spy a sunchoke.

The Produce Express stand at the Chicago French Market still have has Illinois grown, indoor tomatoes as well as local potatoes and squash.

When there is no fresh fruit around, there is still fruitsdried and frozen. Tomato Mountain and River Valley Ranch offer canned local goods.

Chicago’s Downtown Farmstand market, presented in partnership with Edible Chicago, will present a Culinary Conversation with author, educator and farmer Terra Brockman discussing her new book with Judith Dunbar-Hines of the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs on February 24 at 6:00 PM at the Downtown Farmstand. Come join us and plan to attend exciting event! Event is free but reservations are required.